Connector

ABSTRACT

A connector 1 configured to be attached to a device 2 is provided with: an annular housing 11 configured to be attached to the device 2 in such a position as to annularly rise from the device 2; an annular seal member 22 that seals a space between an end surface of the housing 11 facing the device 2 and the device 2 in a watertight manner; and a water-preventing wall 25 that extends from the housing 11 toward the device 2 outside the seal member 22, and that protects the seal member 22 from high-pressure water externally sprayed toward the housing 11.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

The technology disclosed in the present description relates to aconnector.

Description of the Related Art

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-95357 discloses aconnector with an annular housing configured to be attached to a devicein such a position as to rise annularly from the device, and an annularseal member seals a space between an end surface of the housing facingthe device and the device in a watertight manner.

Specifically, a second shield connector described in Japanese UnexaminedPatent Publication No. 2015-95357 attaches to an inverter case(corresponding to the device), and includes a synthetic resin secondhousing (corresponding to the annular housing). The second housing hasan end surface facing the case to which a second seal ring(corresponding to the annular seal member) is fittingly mounted. Thesecond seal ring seals the space between the second housing and thecase.

A connector may be attached to a device mounted on a vehicle. Thevehicle may be washed using high-pressure water once in a while.Accordingly, the connector attached to the device mounted on the vehiclemay be sprayed with high-pressure water during the washing. When theconnector is sprayed with high-pressure water, the seal member could bedirectly exposed to the high-pressure water via a gap between thehousing and the device.

The present description discloses a technology for preventing a sealmember sealing a space between a connector housing and a device frombeing directly exposed to high-pressure water.

SUMMARY

This disclosure relates to seal cover and to a connector configured tobe attached to a device. The connector includes an annular housingconfigured to be attached to the device in such a position as to riseannularly from the device. An annular seal member seals a space betweenan end surface of the housing facing the device and the device in awatertight manner. A water-preventing wall extends from the housingtoward the device outside the seal member, and protects the seal memberfrom high-pressure water externally sprayed toward the housing.

The connector is provided with the water-preventing wall that protectsthe seal member from high-pressure water. Thus, the seal member sealingthe space between the connector housing and the device can be preventedfrom being directly exposed to high-pressure water. In this way, theprobability of the seal member becoming detached or degraded due tohigh-pressure water can be decreased.

The device may include a seal press-contacted surface that the sealmember press-contacts, and an outer wall surface continuous with theseal press-contacted surface. The water-preventing wall may be providedat a position outside the outer wall surface with the housing attachedto the device, and may shield, as viewed in a direction perpendicular toa central axis of the seal member, a gap between the housing and thedevice, and an edge portion of the outer wall surface on the sealpress-contacted surface side.

The connector makes it possible to prevent the seal member from beingexposed directly to water when the high-pressure water is sprayed ontothe connector in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of theseal member.

The housing may be made of resin, and the connector may further includean electric wire integrally molded in the housing so as to penetratethrough a wall of the housing. A metal plate may be fixed to the devicewith the housing being all around pressed toward the device . A rib maybe provided along an outer peripheral portion of the metal plate, withthe outer peripheral portion not overlapping the electric wire as viewedin a direction perpendicular to a plate surface of the metal plate. Themetal plate may not have a rib in an outer peripheral portionoverlapping the electric wire as viewed in a direction perpendicular tothe plate surface. The water-preventing wall may be provided at least ina section in which the electric wire is integrally molded in thecircumferential direction of the housing.

The connector makes it possible to prevent the seal member from beingdirectly exposed to high-pressure water, and to pinch the electric wirewhen the electric wire is integrally molded in the housing.

The seal cover disclosed in the present description makes it possible toprevent a seal member sealing a space between a connector housing and adevice from being directly exposed to high-pressure water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a connector according to the presentembodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the connector and a device takenalong line A-A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the connector with a seal cover removed;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view for describing pinch; and

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5. Inthe following description, front and rear directions and right and leftdirections are to be considered with reference to the front and reardirections and the right and left directions shown in FIG. 1, and upperand lower directions are to be considered with reference to the upperand lower directions shown in FIG. 2.

With reference to FIG. 1, the outline of the connector 1 according tothe present embodiment will be described. The connector 1 may beattached to the case of an inverter (an example of a device) mounted ona vehicle, such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, toelectrically connect the inverter and a three-phase motor (or abattery).

(1) Inverter Case

With reference to FIG. 2, an inverter case will be described. Theinverter case is provided with an annular base portion 2 for attachingthe connector 1. In the present embodiment, a surface 2A of the baseportion 2 facing the upper side will be referred to as a sealpress-contacted surface 2A. In the base portion 2, six terminal bolts,not illustrated, are provided extending upward.

(2) Connector Configuration

With reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the configuration of the connector 1will be described. The connector 1 includes an annular housing 11 (seeFIG. 2 and FIG. 3); an annular surface packing 22 (see FIG. 2); a metalplate 23 (see FIG. 1 to FIG. 3); a seal cover 24 (see FIG. 1 and FIG.2); and a water-preventing wall 25 (see FIG. 2). The surface packing 22is an example of seal member.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the housing 11 is a resin member constitutedby a substantially elliptical wall. As illustrated in FIG. 2, thehousing 11 is attached to the base portion 2 in such a position as toannularly rise from the base portion 2. As illustrated in FIG. 2, thehousing 11 is open on both upper and lower sides.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, in the front side wall of thehousing 11, a plurality of electric wires W are integrally molded by amolding process so as to penetrate through the wall in the front-reardirection.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the electric wires W each have a terminalfitting 26 connected to the core wire at the distal end thereof, theother end being connected to a three-phase motor (or a battery) which isnot illustrated. The terminal fitting 26 includes a contact portion 27formed in a substantially circular plate shape. The contact portion 27has a through-hole 28 penetrating therethrough in a plate thicknessdirection. The terminal fitting 26 is fixed to the terminal bolt bypassing a terminal bolt through the through-hole 28 and threadedlyengaging a nut with the terminal bolt.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, in the end surface of the housing 11 facingdownward, a recess portion 29 recessed toward the upper side is formedall around. In the recess portion 29, a synthetic resin surface packing22 is fitted. The surface packing 22 is provided to seal a space betweenthe housing 11 and the base portion 2 in a watertight manner.

The metal plate 23 is a plate-shaped metal member formed with openings.As illustrated in FIG. 2, the housing 11 has an opening edge portionintegrally molded all around by a molding process.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the metal plate 23 includes bolt passing holes33 for passing bolts 32 (see FIG. 1) for attaching the metal plate 23 tothe base portion 2, and bolt passing holes 31 for passing bolts 30 (seeFIG. 1) for attaching a shield case 36 to the base portion 2 via themetal plate 23 as will be described later, the bolt passing holespenetrating through the metal plate 23 in a plate thickness direction.The bolts 30, 32 are made to pass through the bolt passing holes 31, 33and fastened to the base portion 2, whereby the metal plate 23 is fixedto the base portion 2 with the housing 11 being pressed all aroundtoward the base portion 2.

The surface packing 22, as the housing 11 is pressed by the metal plate23 toward the base portion 2, is compressed to be in close contact withboth the housing 11 and the base portion 2. In this way, the spacebetween the housing 11 and the base portion 2 is sealed in a watertightmanner by the surface packing 22.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the metal plate 23 is formed in a rectangularshape longer in the right-left direction, with a rib 23A formed alongthe edge portion constituting the long side on the rear side. The rib23A is formed by bending a portion extending from the rear long sideupward by substantially 90 degrees along the long side.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the electric wires W are integrally molded inthe front side wall of the housing 11, and extend from the housing 11toward the front side. Thus, as viewed from the upper side (an exampleof a direction perpendicular to a plate surface of the metal plate), theelectric wires W overlap the edge portion constituting the front longside of the metal plate 23. However, the electric wires W do not overlapthe edge portion constituting the rear long side of the metal plate 23.That is, the rib 23A is provided along the edge portion, among the edgeportions of the metal plate 23, which does not overlap the electricwires W as viewed from the upper side. The edge portion constituting thefront long side is an example of an outer peripheral portion overlappingan electric wire. The edge portion constituting the rear long side is anexample of an outer peripheral portion that does not overlap an electricwire.

On the other hand, the edge portion constituting the front long side ofthe metal plate 23, and the edge portions constituting the right andleft short sides are not provided with a rib. The edge portionconstituting the front long side is not provided with a rib because theelectric wires W are pinched when the electric wires W are integrallymolded in the housing 11 by a molding process.

Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4, when the electric wires W areintegrally molded in the housing 11, it is necessary to strongly squeezethe electric wires W between upper and lower molds 50 and 51 so that theresin does not leak out of the gap between the upper and lower molds 50and 51 and the electric wires W. In the present embodiment, the processof strongly squeezing the electric wires W between the upper and lowermolds 50 and 51 is referred to as pinching.

When the electric wires W are pinched by the upper and lower molds 50and 51, if a rib were to be also formed on the edge portion constitutingthe front long side, as indicated by dashed and double-dotted lines 52in FIG. 4, the rib would pose an obstacle for squeezing the electricwires W from top and bottom. That is, it would become impossible topinch the electric wires W. For this reason, the edge portionconstituting the front long side of the metal plate 23 is not formedwith a rib.

With reference to FIG. 2, the seal cover 24 will be described. The sealcover 24 includes a lid portion 34, a fitting portion 35, and the shieldcase 36. The lid portion 34 is a resin member covering the housing 11from the upper side. The lid portion 34 has an outer peripheral shapewhich is substantially matched with the outer peripheral shape of thehousing 11. The fitting portion 35 is disposed on the backside of thelid portion 34 so as to be able to be fit on the inside of the housing11. In the outer peripheral surface of the fitting portion 35, a recessportion recessed all around is formed. In the recess portion, a resinaxial seal 37 is fittingly mounted.

The shield case 36 is made of metal and includes an upper wall 38substantially parallel with the plate surface of the metal plate 23; arear wall 39 covering the rear side of the housing 11; a pair of sidewalls provided on the right and left; and a mounting plate 40 (seeFIG. 1) extending from each side wall in parallel with the plate surfaceof the metal plate 23.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the upper wall 38 is formed with a boltpassing hole for making a bolt 41 pass. As the bolt 41 is made to passthrough the bolt passing hole and fastened to the lid portion 34, theshield case 36 is attached to the lid portion 34.

The mounting plate 40 is formed with bolt passing holes. Through thebolt passing holes of the mounting plate 40 and the bolt passing holes31 of the metal plate 23, the bolts 30 are made to pass and fastened tothe base portion 2, whereby the shield case 36 is fixed to the baseportion 2.

With reference to FIG. 2, the water-preventing wall 25 will bedescribed. The water-preventing wall 25 is provided to protect thesurface packing 22 from high-pressure water externally sprayed towardthe housing 11. The water-preventing wall 25 extends from the housing 11toward the base portion 2 outside the surface packing 22.

Specifically, the water-preventing wall 25, with the housing 11 attachedto the base portion 2, is provided ata position on the front side of anouter wall surface 2B on the front side of the base portion 2. Thewater-preventing wall 25, as viewed from the front side (an example of adirection perpendicular to a central axis of the seal member), shieldsthe gap between the housing 11 and the base portion 2, and the edgeportion of the outer wall surface 2B on the seal press-contacted surface2A side.

With reference to FIG. 3, the range of the housing 11 in which thewater-preventing wall 25 is provided will be described. Thewater-preventing wall 25 is not provided all around the housing 11.Instead, the water-preventing wall 25 is provided in at least a sectionin which the electric wires W are integrally molded in thecircumferential direction of the housing 11. Specifically, since thereare six electric wires W, there are six sections in which the electricwires W are integrally molded in the circumferential direction of thehousing 11. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, the water-preventingwall 25 is provided in a continuous range including the six sections(the range indicated by dotted lines 60 in FIG. 3).

(3) Effects of the Embodiment

Because the connector 1 is provided with the water-preventing wall 25for protecting the surface packing 22 from high-pressure water, thesurface packing 22 can be prevented from being directly exposed tohigh-pressure water when the vehicle is washed using high-pressurewater. Accordingly, the probability of the surface packing 22 becomingdetached or degraded due to high-pressure water can be decreased.

In the connector 1, the water-preventing wall 25, with the housing 11attached to the base portion 2, is provided at a position on the frontside of the front side outer wall surface 2B of the base portion 2. Asviewed from the front side (in a direction perpendicular to the centralaxis line of the surface packing 22), the water-preventing wall 25shields the gap between the housing 11 and the base portion 2 and theedge portion of the outer wall surface 2B on the seal press-contactedsurface 2A side. Accordingly, the surface packing 22 can be preventedfrom being directly exposed to water when high-pressure water is sprayedonto the connector 1 from the front side.

In the connector 1, the metal plate 23 has the rib 23A at the edgeportion constituting the rear long side thereof (the edge portion thatdoes not overlap the electric wires W as viewed in a directionperpendicular to the plate surface). On the other hand, the edge portionconstituting the front long side (edge portion overlapping the electricwires W) does not have the rib. The water-preventing wall 25 is providedat least in a section in which the electric wires W are integrallymolded in the circumferential direction of the housing 11. Accordingly,the surface packing 22 can be prevented from being directly exposed towater, and the electric wires W can be pinched, as will be describedconcretely below.

As described above, the surface packing 22 is compressed as the housing11 is pressed toward the base portion 2 by the metal plate 23. In thiscase, if the stiffness of the metal plate 23 is insufficient, thehousing 11 may become warped due to reaction force from the surfacepacking 22, and the gap between the housing 11 and the base portion 2may become widened.

In the connector 1, the rib 23A is provided along the edge portionconstituting the rear long side of the metal plate 23 (the edge portionnot overlapping the electric wires W). Accordingly, the stiffness of themetal plate 23 is increased with respect to the edge portionconstituting the rear long side. Thus, the housing 11 does not becomeeasily warped with respect to the rear side, and the gap between thehousing 11 and the base portion 2 can be prevented from becoming wider.In this way, the surface packing 22 can be prevented from being directlyexposed to high-pressure water.

In the present embodiment, with the housing 11 not being warped, thesurface packing 22 is virtually completely contained in the recessportion 29 so that the housing 11 and the base portion 2 are in closecontact with each other. Accordingly, hardly any gap is produced betweenthe housing 11 and the base portion 2, and the surface packing 22 can bevirtually completely prevented from being directly exposed tohigh-pressure water.

No ribs are formed at the edge portions constituting the right and leftshort sides of the metal plate 23. However, because the right and leftshort sides are short compared with the front and rear long sides, theabsence of the ribs does not readily lead to a decrease in the stiffnessof the metal plate 23. Accordingly, hardly any gap is produced betweenthe housing 11 and the base portion 2 also with respect to the right andleft sides of connector 1.

Meanwhile, the edge portion constituting the front long side of themetal plate 23 (the edge portion overlapping the electric wires W) isnot provided with a rib because of the pinching of the electric wires W.In addition, the front long side has a certain length in the right-leftdirection, resulting in a decrease in the stiffness of the metal plate23. Consequently, as illustrated in FIG. 5, it is possible that thefront side of the housing 11 could be deformed by reaction force fromthe surface packing 22 in such a way that generally the center in theright-left direction is warped upward, resulting in an increase in thegap 45 between the housing 11 and the base portion 2.

However, as described above, the housing 11 is provided with thewater-preventing wall 25 at least in the section in which the electricwires W are integrally molded (the range indicated by the dotted lines60 of FIG. 3 in the present embodiment) in the circumferentialdirection. Accordingly, even if the gap 45 between the housing 11 andthe base portion 2 is increased, the surface packing 22 can be preventedfrom being directly exposed to high-pressure water. That is, the surfacepacking 22 can be prevented from being directly exposed to high-pressurewater, and the electric wires W can be pinched.

Other Embodiments

The technology disclosed in the description is not limited to the aboveembodiment explained in the above description and the drawings. Thefollowing embodiments may be included in the technical scope disclosedin the present description, for example.

(1) The foregoing embodiment has been described with reference to thecase in which the metal plate 23 is integrally molded in the housing 11.However, the metal plate 23 may not be integrally molded in the housing11. For example, the metal plate 23 may be prepared separately from thehousing 11, and the metal plate 23 may be attached to the base portion 2while pressing a flange extending from the outer peripheral portion ofthe housing 11 toward the base portion 2.

(2) The foregoing embodiment has been described with reference to thecase in which the connector 1 is provided with the metal plate 23.However, the connector 1 may not be provided with the metal plate 23. Inthis case, preferably the water-preventing wall 25 may be provided onthe front and rear sides of, or all around, the housing 11.

(3) The foregoing embodiment has been described with reference to thecase in which the metal plate 23 is provided with the rib 23A. However,the rib 23A may not be provided. In this case, the water-preventing wall25 may preferably be provided on the front and rear sides of, or allaround, the housing 11.

EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS

1: Connector

2: Base portion (example of device)

2A: Seal press-contacted surface

2B: Outer wall surface

11: Housing

22: Surface packing (example of seal member)

23: Metal plate

23A: Rib

25: Water-preventing wall

W: Electric wire

1. A connector that attaches to a device, the connector comprising: anannular housing that attaches to the device in such a position as toannularly rise from the device; an annular seal member that seals aspace between an end surface of the housing facing the device and thedevice in a watertight manner; and a water-preventing wall that extendsfrom the housing toward the device outside the seal member, and thatprotects the seal member from water externally sprayed toward thehousing, wherein the housing is made of resin, the connector furthercomprising: an electric wire integrally molded in the housing so as topenetrate through a wall of the housing; a metal plate that is fixed tothe device with the housing being all around pressed toward the device;a rib provided along an outer peripheral portion of the metal plate, theouter peripheral portion not overlapping the electric wire as viewed ina direction perpendicular to a plate surface of the metal plate,wherein: the metal plate does not have a rib in an outer peripheralportion overlapping the electric wire as viewed in the directionperpendicular to the plate surface; and the water-preventing wall isprovided at least in a section in which the electric wire is integrallymolded in the circumferential direction of the housing.
 2. The connectoraccording to claim 1, wherein the device includes a seal press-contactedsurface that the seal member press-contacts, and an outer wall surfacecontinuous with the seal press-contacted surface, and thewater-preventing wall is provided at a position outside the outer wallsurface with the housing attached to the device, and shields, as viewedin a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the seal member, a gapbetween the housing and the device, and an edge portion of the outerwall surface on the seal press-contacted surface side.
 3. (canceled)